Grading machine



GRADXNG MACHINE INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS:

May 2l, 1929. E. o. CHURCHILL 1,714,347

GRADING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 in n WM, 1 I aMz/ ATTORNEY WITNESS:

May 21, 1929- E. o. CHURCHILL 1,714,347

GRADING MACHINE Filed April 1'7, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESS: ATTORNEY May 21, 1929. E. .0. CHURCHILL GRADING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 A l l [arc/,

1 ATTORNEY WITNESS:

May 21, 1929. E. o. cHuRcHrLL GRADING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1925 AWCRNEY 6 Shets-Sheet GRADING MACHINE Filed April 17, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATI'ORN EY T a mma/,

Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES EDMUND O. CHURCHILL, F SALIDA, COLORADO.

GRADING MACHINE.

Application led Aprily 17, 1925. Serial No; 23,952.

This invention relates to grading machines especially adapted for road construction, an object being'to provide a grading or scraping machine by means. of which finishing or surfacing of roads or other highways may be eifectually and economically accomplished.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character which may be accurately adjusted in accordance with. the character of the work to be done and easily and readily controlled during operation.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustratedY in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings .Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grading machine constructed in accordance with the invention. y Vj Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal central section on an enlarged scale.

Figure4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Figures 2 and 3 on the same scale as Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an elevation of one of the driv ing wheels on the same scale as Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a similar view of one of the driving gears taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 5 on the same scale as Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a detail View of one of the clutch cams.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the machine as shown includes a substantially horizontal frame l() which is substantially rectangular in plan view and which inclines forwardly and downs wardly. The rear end of the frame is supported upon traction wheels 11 and the latter are mounted for free rotation upon-fthe outer end of the axle 12. rI he front end of the frame is supported by wheels 13 which are freely rotatable upon the opposite ends of-an axle 14, the latterl being pivotally attached to a forward extension 15" of the frame 10, j

through the medium of a king pin or bolt 16. JAny suitable' means may be provided for attaching the machine. to draft animals or to a tractor, a tongue 17 which extends forwardly from the axle 14 beingprovided for this purp ose. If desired the machine may be provided with its own propelling means.

Mounted within the forward end of the frame 10 is a cylinder 18 which has extendingfrom its opposite closed ends spindles 19, the latter -being rotatably mounted in bearings 20 which are slidable vertically in guide ybars 21 extending upwardly at opposite sides of the frame 10. These guide bars 21 are channel-shaped in cross section and are provided with offset angular flanges 22 which are bolted or otherwise secured to the side bars of the framel 10. l

'.Mounted in suitable bearings in the upper endsof the guide bars 21 are shafts 23 whose lower ends are threaded for engagement with interiorly threaded sleeves 24 which extend upwardly from the. bearings 20. The shafts 2 3 are reversely threaded, that is, one shaft has a right and the other a left hand thread. These shafts are provided attheir upper ends with beveled pinions 25 which are engaged by similar pinions 26 mounted upon ,the opposite ends of a shaft 27, the latter rotating in bearings provided in angular plates 28 which are secured to the upper ends of the guides 21.y Secured upon the shaft 27 is a worm gear 29 which is lengaged by a worm 30, the latter being mounted upon oneend of a rod 31 which is rotatable in bearings 32,

the ylatter' being carried at the opposite ends of spaced plates 33 which are supported by the shaft 27. The opposite end of the rod.

31 is mounted in a bearing 34 and is provided with aY crank handle 35. By rotating Vthe rod 31, the shaft 27 will be rotated so that opposite` rotary motion willfbe imparted vto the shafts 23, whereupon the 'bearings'20 will be adjusted rvertically -infa direction governedby the direction of rotation of the rod 31. This provides for regulating the height of the cylinder 18, the purpose of such regulation or adjustment' being hereinafter apparent.

The cylinder v18 is cross sectionally Octagonal and `each of its faces is provided with a blade holder 36 within whichv is secured blades Vor cutters 37. These blades `or c utters comprise a plurality ofseparate cutting elements so that each blade is formed of a number of individual cutting elements arranged side by side and separately secured in its holder. This permits of a single blade section being vremoved and another substituted in the event of damage and materially reduces .the cost of upkeep. Further, the..

' at reach end of the axle.

blades are disposed at an incline with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder so that when the latter is rotated by means to be presently described, surplus dirt will be worked to the center or crown of the roadway and the dirt from the high places or bumps conducted to the hollows so that the latter will be filled and the road evenly graded. The depth of the cut may be regulated by adjusting the cylinder vertically in the manner already explained.

Mounted for free rotation upon a reduced portion 38 of the axle 12 is a disk 39 whose hub 4() bears against a shoulder provided Bolted or otherwise secured to the disks 39 are gears 41 so that the latter are capable of free rotation upon the axle. These gears are provided with internal ratchet toothed ring gears 42, the teeth of which are adapted to be engaged by dogs 43 pivotally mounted as indicated at 44 upon the adjacent faces of the wheels 11. Springs 45 serve to normally hold these dogs engaged with the teeth. Fast upon the axles 12 are cams 46 which are arranged to engage pins 47 extending laterally from the dogs 43. Normally, the pins 47 engage the faces 48 of the cams and hold the outer ends of the dogs engaged with the teeth of the ratchet gears 42, so that rotation of the wheels 11 will operate the gears 41 and the axle 12 when the machine is travelling in a forwardly direction. 'Ihe gears 41 engage gears 49 which are secured to opposite ends of the cylinder 18 as shown in `Figure 4 of the drawings, so that reverse rotary motion will be imparted to the cylinder. j

For the purpose of releasing the dogs 43 from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 42, the shaft 12 is provided with a brake band 50. This band has one end secured to an arm 51 extending from the frame 10 and its opposite end secured to a link 52, which is in turn secured to an arm 53 pivotally mounted as'indicated at 54. This arm is rigid with a hand lever 55. By pulling the lever 55 rearwardly so as to grip the axle 12 and prevent its rotation, the cam 46 will be held stationary. Continued forward rotation of the wheels 11 will cause the pins 47 to engage the inclined face 56 of the cam 46 so that the dogs will be moved pivotally until the pins are seated within notches 57 provided in the cam 46. The dogs will then be disengaged from the ratchet gears 42 and the wheels 11 will be free to rotatewithout rotating the gears 41. -When the pins 47 engage with the notch it will cause a slight impulse 'to be transmitted to the operators hand, whereupon he Should release the lever discontinuing thereby the braking action on the axle 12. The dogs will then remain out of contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheels 42 until the lever 55 is again gripped by the operator and turned to position to cause braking action. When this latter action is performed the dogs which are on the rotating wheel will ride out of the notches 57 and drop oil the forward edge of the cam surfaces and the dogs will again engage with I the teeth of the ratchet wheels 42. In order to provide a positive .grip between the brake band 50 and the axle 12, the latter is provided with one or more offset portions 58.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is :-V

1. A grading machine comprising a frame, traction wheels supporting one end of the frame, steering wheels supporting the opposite end of the frame, a cylinder Ymounted for rotation in the frame, cutting blades extending longitudinally of the periphery of the cylinder, means to adjust the cylinder vertically, a driving gear mounted upon the traction wheels, a gear secured to the cylinder and engaging the drivinggear,ratchet mechanism for operatively associating the driving gear and traction wheels and a cam for controlling the ratchet mechanism `and manually operated means for controlling the cam to control the operation of the cylinder.

2. A grading machine comprising a frame, a rotatable axle at one end thereof. traction Y wheels freely mounted upon the axle, steering wheels supporting the opposite end of the frame, a cylinder mounted for rotation in the frame, sectional cutting blades carried by the cylinder and diposed at an `inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of said cylinder, means to adjust the cylinder vertically, driving gears mounted for free rotation upon the axle, ratchet wheels carried by the gears, spring actuated dogs normally engaging the ratchet wheels to lock the driving gears to the'traction wheels, means fast upon the axle to engage the dogs and hold the latter in engaged position, manually operated means to prevent rotation of the axle and means included in the dog engaging means to move the dogs out of engagement with the ratchet wheels when the axle is held against rotation.

3. A grading machine comprising a frame, a rotatable axle at one end thereof, traction wheels freely mounted upon the axle, steering wheels supporting the opposite end of the fra-me, a cylinder mounted for rotation in the frame, cutting blades carried by the cylinder, means to adjust the cylinder vertically, driv` ing gears mounted for free rotation upon the axle, ratchet wheels carried by the gears, spring actuated dogs normally engaging the ,ratchet gears to lock the driving gears to the traction wheels, cams fast upon the axle to' with the ratchet Wheels when the axle is held against rotation.

4. A grading machine comprising a frame, traction Wheels supporting one end of the frame, steering Wheels supporting the opposite end of the frame, a cutting cylinder, substantially vertically disposed guides located at opposite sides of the frame, bearings ad.- justable in said guides and rotatably supporting the cylinder, threaded shafts engaging the bearings, a shaft extending transversely of the machine and having its opposite ends operatively associated With the threaded shafts, means to rotate the transverse shaft to adjust the bearings and regulate the height of the cutting cylinder, means operatively associating the cylinder and traction Wheels to rotate the Jformer and means to release the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. EDMUND O. CHURCHILL. 

